Recent improvements in the growth and manufacture of the crystals utilized in the production of the light emitting diodes has permitted greater utility and flexibility for its use as an alternative to standard sign industry lighting sources such as neon, fluorescent, cold cathode, metal halide, incandescent and high pressure sodium light sources. Light emitting diodes offer a low voltage alternative to the standard or high voltage lighting sources mentioned. Further developments in light emitting diodes technology have permitted a greater ability to modulate the intensity and light output expanding the potential applications for light emitting diodes lighting technology. Various industries, including the sign industry, have maximized this benefit to produce new and useful and unobvious illumination patterns and techniques.
Various corporations have introduced the improved light emitting diodes utilizing different and varying approaches to achieving similar lighting applications in the signage industry. Light emitting diode lighting systems are strung together in different and varying configurations. Further advancements have been made and light emitting diodes technology has been accepted in mainstream use as a superior lighting alternative as evidenced by street signal lighting and changing traffic signals beginning to convert to arrayed light emitting diodes as the preferred lighting for its intensity, visibility and clarity.
The use of illumination systems of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, illumination systems of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of illumination with light emitting diodes are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,626 to McColloch discloses a flexible light track for signage. U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,637 to Atchinson et al. discloses a compact, flexible LED array. U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,612 to Hunter discloses a light emitting diode light strip. U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,648 to Dimmick discloses an illuminated modular sign having adjustable quick release modules. U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,577 to Ishibashi discloses a display device and method for making the same. U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,785 to Zhang et al. discloses a light source arrangement. U.S. Pat. No. 6,346,777 to Kim discloses an LED lamp apparatus. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,280 to Allen discloses an LED light string employing series-parallel block coupling.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe an illumination system that allows providing high-power, high-intensity light emitting diode modules that are economic to produce and operate.
In this respect, the illumination system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing high-power, high-intensity light emitting diode modules that are economic to produce and operate.
The present invention relates to a linear, linked and stranded high-power, high-intensity light emitting diode illumination system utilizing modules with a metal-core, ceramic coated printed circuit board with surface mounted electrical components required to produce light through the plurality of light emitting diodes. The present invention also relates to improvements in light emitting diodes and advancements in design specification, printed circuit board layouts and electrical component configurations. The present invention, through its specific design, most efficiently utilizes the minimum amount of low voltage electricity to maximize lighting intensity across the standard lighting spectrum, i.e., red range, amber, orange, blue, white, and green. The present invention, referencing specific electrical component configurations and anticipated flow of electrical current, when segmented units are utilized singularly or in plurality, minimizes “voltage resistance drop” across a segmented unit or a group in parallel, calculated in Ohms.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved illumination system which can be used for providing high-power, high-intensity light emitting diodes that are economic to produce and operate. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.